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Common Era and the Culture War

Powerful anti-Christian forces have so entrenched themselves in every aspect of American culture, that it is nearly impossible for Christian families to engage in anything worthwhile without being barraged by relentless and malicious efforts to coronate King Diversity in place of the King of kings.

Even our conventional calendar is a target of those who seek to erase the "Year of our Lord" from our societal memory.

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDNHM) to view the exhibition of the world famous Dead Sea Scrolls. Located in beautiful Balboa Park, which is just minutes from downtown San Diego and a few blocks from the city's oldest law school, California Western, the SDHNM boasts the "largest, longest, most comprehensive [exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls] ever assembled in any country."

According to the SDNHM, "[T]he Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient manuscripts that were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in 11 caves near Khirbet Qumran, on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea in Israel."

While the exhibits are highly educational and awe-inspiring, Christians cannot ignore the flaunting of an anti-Christ agenda that promotes "cultural diversity" and an end to acknowledging the Lord Jesus Christ as the central focus of the modern conventional calendar.

Whether they posted it conspicuously throughout the exhibit, or announced it repeatedly through recorded audio guides, the exhibit organizers continually indoctrinated visitors with their notion of the "Common Era" as opposed to the "Year of our Lord."

Using the abbreviation, "B.C.E." (Before Common Era), the organizers pressed forward their belief that, in order for "cultural diversity" to be achieved, the abbreviation, "B.C." (Before Christ) should no longer be used. To acknowledge Christ is "to impose" Christianity upon non-Christians. Thus, instead of educating visitors that the Dead Sea Scrolls date from the 3rd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. (Anno Domini, which is Latin for "Year of [our] Lord"), they use the terms, "Before Common Era" and "C.E." (Common Era).

The current year is referred to as 2007 of the "Common Era." No longer is it referred to as "Year of our Lord," which is an unmistakable reference to the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is preventing advocates of "the Common Era" to begin their own year? Why not begin "the Common Era" as of the year 2000 A.D., and label that year, "1 CE?" Had this been the case, this writer, at the very least, would have a modicum more of respect for these advocates of Diversity.

Instead, they seek to use the very same origin of the conventional calendar, which is the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited Christ prophesied in the Old Testament.

Although the precise date of Christ's birth may not be known, the intent of the conventional Gregorian calendar was to label the time of Christ's birth as the Year of our Lord. Those who advocate the "Common Era" perniciously use the same year as the same beginning.

The obvious intended effect is to erase any mention of Christ's Kingship, dethroning Him from this particular realm, and to install Humanism through Diversity as the new Sovereign of the conventional calendar.

Proponents of Common Era notation rationalize that it is "religiously-neutral" and respectful of cultural Diversity. Not every person believes that Jesus is the Lord, they argue, and therefore, he should not have to acknowledge Christ's "Lordship."

Many who wish not to rock the boat by "offending" non-Christians now are beginning to adopt Common Era in place of Anno Domini. Public schools, museums, and other institutions quickly are shifting their focus from the Year of our Lord to the Common Era. They seek neutrality, and are persuaded that Diversity is its cornerstone. To them, because Common Era is "neutral," Diversity is somehow achieved.

Nothing can be further from the truth. Neither neutrality nor diversity can ever be achieved.

The ultimate issue is foundational. Is Christ the foundation? Or is the foundation made to be Religious Neutrality - an invented concept?

Christianity asserts that Jesus Christ is sovereign over all areas of life without exception, regardless of whether one rejects His Kingship. On the other hand, Religious Neutrality, which is really Humanism under a different label, asserts that Neutrality is sovereign, and that no one "god" has a monopoly on sovereignty.

Hence, an ongoing struggle ensues between Godly rule and the rule of Man.

A neutral foundation is impossible. As the apostle Paul writes, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (I Cor. 3:11)

Humanists celebrate the concept of Diversity, which is nothing more than an anti-Christian pantheon of gods and worldviews. Proponents of Diversity add Jesus to their pantheon as "just one" of the many "perfectly acceptable" gods from which to choose. In a society of Diversity, Christians are fully welcome to participate, just so long as they refrain from "pushing" their foundation upon others in public institutions.

This is the hypocrisy of Diversity revealed. The demonic concept of Diversity only works with religions that are not exclusivist. People of all religions are "free" to exercise their respective religious viewpoints, just so long as they don't "impose" them on others.

But what about Christians, whose religion necessarily includes the explicit mandate to press forward the Crown Rights of Jesus Christ and to make disciples of all nations? When it comes to Diversity, this theology need not apply.

Whereas the Bible refers to Christ as the King of kings, Christians are forced to keep this tenet in their closets, and are forbidden to pursue this belief system in any sincere public way.

Thus, the double standard of Diversity is exposed. Christians are only welcome to believe in their Christ, just so long as they don't try to press His rule outside of their families and churches. However, any brand of "Christianity" that is anything less than this is not true Christianity. Instead, the only "Christianity" that is allowed by Diversity is an oxymoronic Christian Pluralism.

Thus, it is impossible to achieve Diversity.

Make no mistake about it: Jesus Christ is not only the Lord of Christians - He is also the Lord of all: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth...." (Phil. 2:10)

The calendar issue of BC/BCE might seem minor to many, but this is just one of countless fronts upon which the culture war is being waged. Whether it is in education, the arts, the sciences, the economy, the family, the church, the civil government, or any other aspect of life and society, Christians have a duty to press forward the rule of Christ, without exception and without apology.

As Stonewall Jackson is believed to have proclaimed, "Duty is ours; consequences are God's."

Whenever reference is made to the Common Era, Christians should capitalize on that golden opportunity not only to speak about the Year of our Lord and the ongoing culture war, but also to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.